Material reclamation system



Dec. 28, 1948. R. 1.; MclLVAlNE I MATERIAL RECLAMATION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 7, 1945' QIJZZFEH [0F 13 171921 2 az/w/ zflmzzzfi MW 5475 Dec. 28, 1948. R q y m 2,457,587

MATERIAL RECLAMATION SYSTEM Filed April 7, 1945 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 latented Dec. 28, 194

UNITED 'S- ATES PATENT orr cg 1,457,522? MATERIAL RECLAMATION SY Robert Louis McIlvaine, Glencoe, Ill., assignor to Herbert S. Simpson, Evanston, Ill.

Application April 7, 1945, Serial No. 587,163 I 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a material reclamation system and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for reconditioning granular material, such as sand and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an economical way of quickly and efliciently burning off foreign matter from material being mulled and agitated.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a material reclamation system for the economical burning off of foreign matter from granular material being reconditioned without the necessity Of using expensive and extensive auxiliary heat treating apparatus. I i I Still another object of this invention is to provide a simple attachment for a material mulling apparatus which can be used with the apparatus employed to mull sand to burn off foreign matter such as carbon and the like from the material being treated. V

A still further object of the invention relates to the provision in a method of treating granular material, such as sand, of a step which can be carried out contemporaneously with the mulling operation and whereby foreign matter can be burned from the material being mulled.

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in amethod of treating granular material, such as sand, the steps of mulling and agitating the material in a given area and contemporaneously projecting one or more jets of flame directly into the material being mulled to burn off foreign matter such as carbon from the material.

Still another feature of this invention is to provide an attachment for the mulling and agitating machine of the type including a revolving head in a material confining chamber, the attachment comprising a support for fastening to and rotation with the head and including at least one nozzle for projecting downwardly a jet of flame directly into the material being treated to burn off foreign matter therefrom.

' A further feature of the invention relates to a provision in a mulling and agitating apparatus including a mulling chamber and 'a rotatable muller head with spaced rotatable mullers carried thereby, heating means comprising at least one nozzle projecting a flame downwardly in .the chamber against the material and a support for the nozzle connected to the .head so as to carry the nozzle in a position between the mulling rolls for rotation with the head during the mulling operation.

Other objects and features of this invention description taken in connection with the accom- Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on substantially line II.II of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 3 is a generally isometric view, partly broken away, of thejet attachment, and which view is taken generally on the line IIIIII of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

As shown on the drawing:'

While I have illustrated my invention as being applied to a sand muller, it will be clear from the following description that the invention is equally well useful with otherforms of material treating apparatus. I

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the jet attachment is shown applied to a more or less well known type of muller, which is substantially similar to the muller shown in the Simp son Patent No. 2,226,023, granted December 24, 1940, and assigned to the assignee of this application.

This muller includes a cylindrical wall 10, which together with an integral bottom ll defines a material receiving chamber in which the mulling and agitating operations are to be conducted.

Disposed centrally of'this chamber is a pedestal I2 in which is suitably journaled arotatable head l3 driven by a motor I4 through the means of suitable gearing (not shown) inside of the base IS. The rotatablehead l3 has connected thereto for rotation therewith a pair of spaced mulling rolls l6l6, each of which in addition to being rotatable bodily about the axis of the head [3 is also rotatable on its own transverse axis, as it has already been disclosed in the aforesaid patent. The head l3 has connected to it a vertical platform I! which assists in the support of the mulling rolls [6, and to which my present invention may be attached as I shall describe hereinafter. In addition, this support platform I! has attached to it plows I8 and I9 which may be of a construction of the type fully disclosed in the aforesaid patent. The purpose of these plows is to agitate the material in the path of the mulling rolls.

In addition, the chamber bottom E! in which the material is mulled may be provided with a hinged door 20 operable by a handle 21' to open position when it is desired to discharge the conditioned material from the chamber. Any suitable mechanism may be employed for keeping the door in a closed position. My invention is not specifically concerned with the elements of the mulling apparatus previously described, but relates more to the provision of a novel heat applying attachment for use with such a mulling apparatus. In fact, it is the aim of this invention to provide .an attachment of that character and which is. of such construction that it may be employed with the aforesaid muller with. a: minimum. amount of change in the assembly.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated in a more or less.

isometric View, the principal structure of my attachment which is designated generally by the reference character 25. It comprises asupporting.

ure 1, so as to be rotatable withthe head of the muller about the axis of the head. The free pertion 21 of this arm is provided with one or" more apertures 28, in each of which is adjustably supported a vertical nozzle or burner tube 29 having at its'lower end a flame jet projecting nozzle or head 30. Each burner may be adjustably secured infa vertical position to the arm 26 by any suitable means, such for example as a set screw 31'. In other words, the vertical position of each arm may be adjusted in accordance with the character of the material being treated as well as the depth of the material that has been put in the chamber for treatment. I

addition, each. of the nozzle tubes 29 is 0011'.- neict'c'd to a "common fuel header or pipe 32' through-the means of a lateral pipe connection 33. One end of the fuel tube 32 is capped at 34 and the other end is bent at 35 and projects into a hole "in the head |'3"'as shown in Figure 2. The inner, 'end or the bent end/3:5 is in communication with a bore 36 which, in turn, is in communication at its upper 'end with the interior of a. fitting 3'! having a fuel pipe. connection 39. It'willl be appreciated that the fitting 3.1 through which the fuel is delivered to the burners must remain statioiiary a'nd for this. reason the. "upper end of the head [3 is provided with "a swivel connection 38 suitably journale'd and anchored within the fitting 31 so as to'r'ot'ate t'he'rein. Any suitable type of swivel fitting such as is now available on the market may befus'e'd. to establish a coupling be.- tween the hur-n'r jpipe 3'5 and the fixed fuel line 39. In these couplings it is sometimes customary .to employ sealing gaskets and the like'to prevent leakage. l

I propose. 'todeliver apropeririiiiture, of gas and. air from the pipe 39, through the head l3 to the burner nozzles. oimy attachment. v

in the use of my invention, it Will be, appreciated that granular material such for example as used foundry sand 'tobe reconditioned is first placed in the chamber on. top of the chamber bottom ll. Thereafter upon energizing of the motor the head l3 and the mulling rolls I6 are caused to rotate about the axis .of thehead resulting in the rolis -l6 mulling the sand against the bottom l l. Contemporaneous therewith the plows l8 and 19 function to stir and agitate the sand as they are rotated With'the head.

During these normal mulling operations and Without any change in-such operations, the at tachment-Z Eof my invention functions to deliver one or more jets of flame against thesand on the 'bottom H. Any suitable valve mechanism (notshown) may be employed-to control the delivery of fuel to the nozzle jets. Moreover, each of the nozzles 30; may be ofany suitable nozzle. construction, such as is now employed in gas terial confining chamber, a support fastened to burners and the like. I find it desirable in the treatment of foundry sand, for example, to so proportion the combustion mixture of air and gas that the direct gas flame jets will have a temperature of from 2000 to 2500 F. Due to this high temperature of the jet and its direct appli cation to the sand, I find that it is possible to eliminate foreign. matter, such as carbon from sand, by a direct burning action in a minimum amount of time and with a very simple form of "attachment.

It should be noted that if it is so desired, the upper end. ofthe. chamber wall In may be covered by a suitable hood such for example as that agitating machine including a muller roller and a revolving head for moving the roller in a maan d rotatable with said head and with said roller, a nozzle carried by and rotatable with said support for projecting downwardly a jet of flame directly into the material being treated to burn off foreign matter therefrom.

An attachment for ama'terial mulling and agitating: machine including a revolving head in a material confining chamber and a muller roller removable with said "head, said attachment com-' prising a support fastened to and rotatable with 46 said head in spaced relation ahead of said roller and including at least one nozzle forprojec-ting downwardly a jet of flame directly into the ma- I terial being treated to burn off foreign matter therefrom, saidjet being supplied with fuel through a fittin carried by and in which 'a portion of said head is rotatably disposed.

3. In. a'm'ater'ialmulling and agitating apparatus including a material receiving chamber and a rotatable muller headtherein', means carried by and rotatable with said head for projecting a jel; of flame directlyiagainst the material as it i'sbeing mulled to burn ofiforeign matter therefrom, said means comprising at least one nozzle in said, chamber and .a support, for said nozzle connected tosaid "head to rotate therewith.

against the material as itis being mulled to burn ofiI" foreign matter therefrom, said means comprising at least one nozzle in .said chamber and a support. for saidnozzlc connected to said head,

and said support being attached to said head ior-rotationtherewith and with the muller about the .axis of the head.

'5... In .a materialmulling and agitating appar atus, includinga material receivingchamber and a. rotatable head carrying av pair of mulling rolls rotatable With...said head, and each of which rolls. is rotatable also on its own axis, means carried bysaid head for projecting a jet. of flame. against the material as it is "being mulled, said means comprising .at-leastone. nozzleand a support for said nozzle connected'to said head, said .nozz le 5 being located between the mulling rolls and in the path of the rolls so as to heat treat the material as the same is mulled in the chamber.

6. In combination, a mulling chamber, a muller head rotatable in said chamber, a pair of rollers secured to said head, a support arm engaging said head between said rollers, a burner unit secured on said support arm and including at least one burner for directing a flame for impingement directly on the sand being mulled in the chamber.

ROBERT LOUIS McILVAINE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Reynolds Sept. 7, 1920 Darlington Dec. 27, 1921 Taylor Oct. 24, 1922 Laury Nov. 21, 1922 Vogel-Jorgensen May 10, 1927 Hartshorn Mar. 5, 1940 Nichols Dec. 3, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Feb. 1, 1923 

